BCCI to abide by Government's decision

By G. Viswanath

MUMBAI, AUG. 11. The shadow- boxing between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Union Sports Ministry with regard to India's cricket relations with Pakistan has come to a limbo with the Government refusing permission to BCCI to play Pakistan in the five-match series for the Sahara Cup at Toronto in September.

Thursday's decision was entirely political, a hard knock on the BCCI that came with specific reasons. The tone of the Sports Minister, Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's statement was unmistakable; the option to play Pakistan, one-to-one henceforth, will not rest with the administrators of the sport in India, but only with the Indian Government.

The BCCI's enthusiasm and determination, built over the years, and after the success of Pakistan's visit to India in early 1999 and to send a team to Pakistan in December, would have without doubt diminished.

The time for `review' is too short-about four months. Hence it is time the BCCI decided whether it should harbour hopes of a first Test series in Pakistan coming through since 1989, when the Indians led by K. Srikkanth (who was attacked by a spectator then) returned home not losing a Test match.

Being founders of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the recently formed Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF) and also representing similar ideas at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings, the officials of India and Pakistan have established excellent rapport. But the BCCI has to accept the fate it cannot influence now. The question is whether it should go through the rigmarole of approaching the Government for sending a team to Pakistan after Christmas. The BCCI will get an opportunity to take a decision in eight days from now at its Working Committee meeting in Bangalore.

As of now, the chances of a reciprocal visit seems highly unlikely. Probably, both the Boards are in a `back to square one' situation, a far cry from a spell of thaw that came about 18 months ago, what with the extraordinary scene at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on January 31, 1999.

It had to be seen to be believed. The thriller of a Test match - the first one on Indian soil in close to 13 years heightened by Venkatesh Prasad's brilliant spell and Sachin Tendulkar's near heroic effort - came to a finish with the sporting Chennai crowd risings one to applaud the Pakistan team led by Wasim Akram as the team did a victory lap acknowledging the appreciation and support. It appeared an earnest start to the revival of India- Pakistan cricket relations (Test series).

Pakistan won the Test at Chennai, lost the second to Anil Kumble and India at the Ferozshah Kotla to share the Pepsi Test series. Thereafter, Pakistan won the final of the tri-series for the Pepsi Cup, defeating India at Bangalore. The Pakistan team's tour to India was marred only by an incident that surrounded Tendulkar's dismissal in the first Asian Test Championship match at Eden Gardens, which was almost empty on the last day when Pakistan won the match.

This was the series the governments on either side of the border was keen to go through with; the Indian Government prepared to even keep the crowd out of bounds, in certain circumstances involving trouble makers. At the end of the series Pakistan's Manager, Mr. Shaharyar Khan, a former diplomat, said the first Test series in India after so many years was a success and that India should reciprocate by visiting Pakistan.

The series had come about after dialogues between the BCCI and the PCB and after Shiv Sena activists had vandalised the Kotla pitch to protest their displeasure against the BCCI's decision. But in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government's wholehearted support for the revival of the Test series, cricket diplomacy was given primacy. It held sway, no matter what the vandals did to the pitch at Kotla.

The BCCI was mightily pleased with the success of the tour. The Board officials thought it was possible to send the Indian team to Pakistan for a three-Test series and five one-day internationals in December- February 2001. After the Pepsi series in 1999, India played Pakistan at Sharjah, in the World Cup in England and in the Asia Cup in Dhaka.

Last September Kargil was the reason that prevented India and Pakistan playing the Sahara Cup. And now Toronto has been torpedoed by the Government. ``We will abide by the government's decision,'' said BCCI President A. C. Muthiah, who has to make up his mind soon whether to pursue the tour to Pakistan or not.

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